Pick a material and a From → To pair (one side is the EU) to see the trade — volume, value, unit value and a clickable volume trend, live from official Eurostat data.
Current comparison · June 2026 trade monthEvidence confidence: medium
EU import dependence differed sharply across the seven tracked materials
The June snapshot recorded net import volumes of about 704 kt for steel, 368 kt for aluminium, 152 kt for PET, 93 kt for PE, 84 kt for PP and 47 kt for copper. PVC instead recorded a net export volume of about 22 kt.
Decision use
Use the balance as a sourcing-context indicator, then inspect origins and the latest supplier terms for the material.
Comparison limit
These broad HS headings cover different products and values. Volume alone does not measure scarcity, substitution or bargaining power.
Next check
Select the material and partner above, then model real commercial assumptions in the Cost Impact Workspace.
Evidence for this comparison
Source: Eurostat Comext, EU27 extra-EU trade, June 2026, HS 3901, 3902, 3904, 3907, 72, 76 and 74; retrieved through MatQuo’s live source pipeline on 4 September 2026. Net import volume is imports minus exports. Detailed monthly records can be revised and broad headings should not be treated as like-for-like products.
What this explorer answers
Use it to compare the quantity, declared value and customs unit value of EU trade for one material and partner. The result answers a trade question—how much crossed the statistical border and at what average declared value—not a live pricing question.
How MatQuo calculates the figures
MatQuo requests the selected product, partner, reporter, flow and month from Eurostat Comext. Tonnes are derived from net mass. The displayed unit value is trade value ÷ net mass, converted to euros per tonne. Imports are statistical CIF values and exports are statistical FOB values, so the two directions should not be treated as identical commercial quotations.
Worked example
A selected flow records €12.0 million of declared value and 10,000 tonnes of net mass.
€12,000,000 ÷ 10,000 t = €1,200/t.
That €1,200/t is the shipment-weighted customs average for the selection. It is not evidence that every grade, contract or origin traded at €1,200/t.
Use and limitations
Compare like product codes, directions, periods and partner scopes.
Expect detailed monthly data to arrive after the reference month and to be revised.
Changes can reflect grade, partner, freight and contract mix as well as underlying price movement.
Check a supplier quotation and the exact customs code before a commercial decision.
Can import statistics tell me the polyethylene price?
Import statistics provide a customs unit value for the selected polyethylene trade flow, rather than a live PE supplier quotation. MatQuo divides declared trade value by net mass and expresses the result in euros per tonne. Compare the same product, partner and month, and keep grade and shipment-mix limitations attached to the figure.
Select the material, reporter, partner and trade direction.
Read the reference month, net mass and declared trade value.
Compare a matching scope and period; check revisions and commercial terms separately.
How is a customs unit value calculated?
€1,200/t is the result in the existing example: €12.0 million of declared trade value divided by 10,000 tonnes of net mass. The calculation gives a shipment-weighted customs average for that selection. It does not establish that every grade, origin or contract traded at the same price in the month.
Existing worked example
Value
Declared trade value
€12.0 million
Net mass
10,000 tonnes
Customs unit value
€1,200/t
How should I compare import and export statistics?
Compare the same product code, period, reporter and partner scope before interpreting changes in trade volume or unit value. Imports use statistical CIF values and exports use statistical FOB values, so the directions are not identical commercial quotations. Monthly records can be revised, and changes can reflect product, partner and shipment mix.